1 » After having just player receive an individual honor in 2012, Florida Gators lacrosse swept the positional awards and took home a major coaching honor from the American Lacrosse Conference in 2013. Seniors Kitty Cullen (Offensive Player of the Year), Sam Farrell (Defensive Player of the Year), Brittany Dashiell (Midfielder of the Year) and Mikey Meagher (Goalie of the Year) each won the individual awards while head coach Amanda O’Leary was named Coach of the Year. Florida also saw five players – the aforementioned plus sophomore Shannon Gilroy named to the All-ALC First Team – with senior Ashley Bruns and senior Emily Dohony earning Second Team honors. Next up for the Gators is the 2013 ALC Tournament, which starts for Florida in the semifinals on Friday at 4 p.m.

2 » No. 1 Gators women’s tennis (22-2) was named the top overall seed in the 2013 NCAA Tournament and will host first- and second-round action in Gainesville, FL from May 11-12 as it looks to advance to the NCAA Round of 16. Florida opens up against Marist College (11-7) in the first round and will face the winner of No. 22 Georgia Tech (14-9) vs. No. 37 Yale (17-3). This will be the 15th consecutive year that UF is hosting the opening rounds of the tournament. Also announced this week were the three women’s tennis players who have earned the opportunity to compete for the 2013 NCAA Singles Championship; competition begins at the conclusion of the team tournament. Senior Lauren Embree (No. 1 overall seed), junior Alex Cercone and junior Sofie Oyen will all play in the 64-player draw with Embree and Oyen also teaming up for the 32-team 2013 NCAA Doubles Championship tournament.

1 » Houston Rockets forward Chandler Parsons is back in Gainesville, FL continuing rehabilitation on a partially torn right labrum he suffered during the season. OGGOA learned of Parsons’s injury on Friday and was told that he has already been rehabbing the shoulder for a month and is not allowed to have any contact until June at the earliest. He did not undergo shoulder surgery as it was not required by doctors. Houston plans to have Parsons, a 2012 NBA All-Rookie second team member, in action during their summer league games. He will likely participate in one or two contests and spend the rest of the time practicing and working out with his teammates.

2 » Just over a month away from the 2012 NBA Draft, Florida Gators freshman guard Bradley Beal continues to be a hot name amongst scouts and front office executives. Not only is he almost cemented in to be a top-five overall selection, Beal is seen by many to be one of the three best players available and could go as high as No. 2 overall according to ESPN’s Andy Katz, who notes that his “physical stature and his ability to make shots mean he’s ready to contribute.” Continued…

Beal, who finished second on the Gators in scoring last season, is the choice of just about every pro scout and evaluator I’ve spoken with, and there isn’t one of them who believes he won’t be taken in the top five or higher in June’s Draft.

“I’m not comparing him to Ray [Allen], but he’s the best I’ve seen since Ray in terms of being able to catch and shoot,” said an official from a Southeast Division team — who, indeed, just compared the 6-foot-3 Beal to Allen, the NBA’s all-time leader in 3-pointers. […]

“He has a chance to be really good,” said a Central Division personnel man. “Super high-character guy, too. He can do a lot more than he’s shown. Works his tail off. Just all of the things you want. He’s like the flavor of the month.”

Said a Northwest Division scout: “He’s not tall, but he’s big and thick and strong. He has a lot of poise to him. I think he has upside. He didn’t have an elite shooting year, but it’ll get better. His stroke is good. It’s just a matter of taking more shots and making them.” […]

“The one thing that hindered him was Boynton and Walker were chuckers,” said a Southwest Division scout. “I saw him against Arizona and I wanted Bradley to get (ticked): ‘Why don’t y’all pass the ball?’ But he stayed in his lane. If Bradley had played with a better point guard, he probably would have had better numbers.” […]

“I think he can guard people,” the Northwest scout said. “He’s really, really strong, very physical. I think he takes it personally. He wants to guard. And if you’re going to play for Billy (Donovan) you have to have some of that in you.”

3 » Set to participate in their first Final Four on Friday, members of No. 1 Florida lacrosse learned earlier in the day that they had been awarded prestigious honors by WomensLax.com. The organization, one of three nationally that hands out awards each postseason for women’s lacrosse, named Amanda O’Leary the Coach of the Year, junior Mikey Meagher the Goalie of the Year and placed four Gators – Meagher, junior attacker Kitty Cullen, junior midfielder Brittany Dashiell and freshman M Shannon Gilroy – on their list of All-Americans. Cullen is the only player who was honored in the same way last season and becomes the first player in team history to earn consecutive All-America selections.

4 » Two members of No. 2 Florida baseball – juniors Brian Johnson and Austin Maddox have been named to the watch list for the 2012 John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award. Johnson (6-4, 3.88 ERA, .310 avg., 5 HR, 34 RBI) has done more two-way work than Maddox has this season, earning 45 starts as a hitter and 14 as a pitcher. Maddox (3-2, 12 S, 1.43 ERA, .265 avg., 5 RBI) has appeared in 28 contests as a closer/reliever but has only hit in 25 games with 18 of those coming as a starter.

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